Light fixture



1943- G. B. FINAZZO 2,330,484

LIGHT FIXTURE Fild Aug. 27. 1941 2 Patented Sept. 28, 1943 UNITED STATESPATENT LIGHT :FDITU'RE ,GeorgeBfiFinazzofSt. LouiaMo; I -Ann oaionnugust 27,1941, SerialNo. 408,408

(cram- +33:

. 3 Claim This invention relates to improvements :in light fixtures.relates to improvements in light fixtures 11. in bowling alleys.

It is an obiectaof the present :invention to pro vide an improved lightfixture for bowling alleys.

It is necessary toprovide proper lighting for the pins used in bowlingalleys. This lighting should light the entire front surface of each ofthe pins evenly, and should avoid 'the forma-.

tion of shadows .on the surfaces of the pins. Uneven lighting on thesurfaces of the pins, or shadows on the surfaces of the .pinscan bequite disconcerting to the bowler and .can rappree manly afiect hisscore. The light f xtures .now in use, are intended to give evenlighting and to avoid shadows, but they .doznot do so com, pletely. Thelighting fixtures now in general use consist of a spot light that islocated a distance in front of ;the...hea,d pin. Tl'iis lightilluminates the pins nearest the :front .of the .alley but does notilluminate the back-pins very well. The light on the pins in the :backis often rather uneven, and shadows are frequently cast on theSurfacesof, these pins. For these reasons, the lighting fixtures in "usetoday are objectionable.

The invention obviates this obiection by proriding a n vel li ht f xtu ethat, lights the from. s r a s f a Of the. b wlin p s and prevents;

h o on the sunfaces of the pins. It is.

therefore, an o jector the present. invention to p vid an improved lightfi tur at p vides even, shadowless illumination for the surfaces ofbowling pins.

To keep a bowling alley in good condition, it is necessary to clean itfrequently. Frequent cleaning requires that the light fixture be in sucha position that it does not interfere with the cleaning operation. As aresult, the present light fixtures now in general use are located adistance above and in front of the pins. Positioning the source ofillumination a distance from the object to be illuminated, decreases theillumination afiorded. This is objectionable since it necessitates theuse of additional power. Because of this, the present light fixtures arenot as efl'lcient as they might be. The invention secures efiicientlight by providing a light fixture that is suspended near the bowlingpins but may be moved readily to facilitate the cleaning of the alley.It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a lightfixture that is suspended near the pins in such a manner that it may bemoved readily to facilitate the cleaning of the alley. I

.More particularly, the invention The provision of :a hi.gh;intensityspot light for the illumination of bowling pins isunsatisfactory,

since the lightis concentrated on-only a few 'of the pins. As a result,a-portion 0f the pins are brightly illuminated, while the rest -of--thepins are not brightly illuminated. This is objectionable. The inventionobviates this'objection by providing a substantially \I-shaped lightfixture that carries -a plurality of light sources. This fixture islocated near the pins and distributes light over the front faces of all'thegpins; It is, therefore, an object .of the'invention to provide asubstantially v-shaped light fixture that may be located near the pins.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thedrawing and accompanying description.

In the drawing and accompanying description, a preferred embodiment ofthe invention has been shown and described, but itis to be understoodthat the drawing and accompanying description do not limit. theinvention, and the invention will zbedefined :by the appended claims.

the drawing, Fig. -1 is 'a plan View 'of a lighting fixture made inaccordance with the principles of the invention. Fig. 2isapartialacross-sectional View of the fixtures shown in Fig. 1 andistaken along the plane ii-2..

Fig. 3 :is a side elevational view of the fixture shown in Fi 1. and

Fig. 4 is. a side; view of it-he. fixture and shows an optional methodof supporting the fixture.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a substantially V-shaped lightfixture is denoted by the numeral Ill. Extending across the V andconnecting the two arms of the V is a transverse member l2. This memberI2 serves a dual purpose. The member l2 serves to make the fixture rigidand serves as a base for the support I4 of the fixture. The support I4is preferably hollow and can be used to carry the conductors that supplycurrent to the fixture. In Fig. 3 the support I4 is shown with a knucklearrangement Hi. This knuckle l6 permits rotation of the light fixture II]. The light fixture is ordinarily depended over the bowling alley inproximity to the bowling pins. When it is necessary to clean the alley,the attendant merely rotates the support l4 and fixture HI- and clampsthe knuckle It. This holds the fixture l0 out of the way during thecleaning operation. Afterwards the knuckle l6 may be released and thefixture I9 moved back into the normal position. The end of support l4may be connected to or in proximity to a conduit l8 carried by thefixture. The conduit [8 carries the-wires from the support I4 to thelamps 20 carried by the fixture. In the drawing the lamps are shown tobe fluorescent tubes but any type of suitable electric lamp can be used.Behind the lamps 20 are reflectors 22 that distribute the light emittedby the lamps. These reflectors 22 are so arranged that they reflect thelight from lamps 20 into theopen part of the V and onto the surfaces ofthe bowling pins 24. The invention is quite utilitarian because itmaintains the source of illumination in close proximity to ,j

the pins that are to be lighted. This gives even,

to the objects to be illuminated, low wattage lamps may be used.

Fig. 4 shows the fixture as it may be supported of said v and downwardlyto illuminate the front by chains 26. These chains 26 permit theattendant to move the fixture during the cleaning operation. Afterwardthe fixture may be permitted to return to its normal position in prox- Iimity to the bowling pins.

Whereas a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in the drawing and accompanying description, it is obvious tothose skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form ofthe invention without afiecting the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A light fixture for bowling alleys that is arranged to provide even,substantially shadowless illumination for bowling pins when it ispositioned above and slightly ahead of the said pins, said fixturecomprising a pair of substantially horizontal arms that are angularlydisposed with relation to each other to form a V, saidangulardisposition being similar to the angle formed by said bowling pins, eachof said arms having at least one tubular electric lamp to provide lightfor the said pins, each of said arms having a trough-shaped reflectingsurface, said reflecting surfaces being positioned adjacent to saidlamps and being arranged to reflect light from said lamps inwardly ofsaid V and downwardly onto the front and side faces of said pins, andsupporting means normally maintaining said fixture above and slightlyahead of said pins, said tubular lights and said reflecting surfacesbeing arranged to provide a substantially continuous,

source of light along the arms of the fixture and to direct that lightsubstantially at right angles to the legs of the V formed by the bowlingpins and thereby illuminate the front and a portion of the side faces ofeach pin.

2. A light, fixture for bowling alleys that is arranged to provide even,substantially shadowless illumination for bowling pins when it ispositioned above and slightly ahead of the said pins, said fixturecomprising a pair of substantially horizontal arms that are angularlydisposed with relation to each other to form a V, said angulardisposition being similar to the angle formed by said bowling pins, eachof said arms having a substantially continuous source of light runningthe length of the arm to provide light for the said pins, each of saidarms having a troughshaped reflecting surface positioned adjacent tosaid source of light and being tilted and arranged to reflect; lightfrom said source inwardly and side faces of said pins, and suspensionmeans normally maintaining said fixture above and slightly ahead of saidpins.

3. A light fixture for bowling alleys that is arranged to provide even,substantially shadowless illumination for bowling pins when it ispositioned above and silghtly ahead of the said pins, said fixturecomprising a pair of substantially horizontal arms that are angularlydisposed with 30 relation to each other to form a V, said angular 4Qporting means normally maintaining said fixture above and slightly aheadof said pins, whereby theapexof the fixture is ahead of the apex of thebowling pins and the open ends of the fixture are behind the said apexof said pins, said tubular lights and said reflecting surfaces beingarranged to provide a substantially continuous source of light along thetwo arms of the fixture and to direct that light substantially at rightangles to the legs of the V formed by the bowling pins and therebyilluminate the front and a portion of the side faces of each pin.

- GEORGE B. FINAZZO.

